Matt Cardona says he needs to keep learning and evolving as a wrestler, but part of him knows he’ll always have to deal with Brian Myers.
Matt Cardona recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard ahead of IMPACT Wrestling’s Slammiversary pay-per-view. Cardona recently made his return to television and while he’s had the chance to perform in front of other crowds since the pandemic restrictions have lifted, Slammiversary will mark the first time IMPACT has welcomed fans back in over a year.
Cardona is someone that has been lifted up by his fans, and in a previous interview with WrestleZone, he said they were also a reason he came to IMPACT Wrestling. Asked about getting the chance to perform in front of fans at this level again, Cardona said he can’t wait for Saturday.
“Yeah, I think us, as wrestlers kind of gotten used to wrestling in front of no fans because the show must go on,” he explained, “but finally we’re gonna have people back. I got the opportunity to do a couple of independents lately with some people, so I got a little taste, but when it’s live on pay-per-view with the people there, the energy is gonna be through the roof and I’m excited to be there.”
Announced this week on IMPACT Wrestling, Cardona will now be in tag team action at the PPV against Brian Myers and Tenille Dashwood, who is also his real-life ex-girlfriend. Cardona has been asking IMPACT’s Scott D’Amore for a shot at Myers for weeks, and while he is getting his wish granted in a way, he says he doesn’t think they’ll ever really be done, no matter what the result is on Saturday.
“Listen, I’m sure this isn’t truly the end. I’ll tell you this — I came to IMPACT for one reason and that’s to be the IMPACT World Champion and I bet if I become champion, the first person that’ll hunt me down is Brian Myers, and vice-versa. If he gets that title, the first person hunting him down is me.”
Knowing that he’ll always have a connection with Myers, Cardona was asked about what’s next for him in IMPACT after Slammiversary and who he could see elevating him as a more well-rounded performer. In addition to stressing his world title goals, Cardona said he just wants to keep evolving and learning from those around him. He noted that he’s not looking at his post-WWE career as a new chapter, but rather a new book and he’s got a lot of work to do.
“The roster is stacked, it’s stacked with guys who are looking for their first opportunity, it’s stacked with guys who want another opportunity and stacked with a hungry, hungry roster. My first match there was with Ace Austin, and he’s so quick and so strong, he’s definitely the future of this business, so I’d like to wrestle with him again. Guys like Eddie Edwards, who I teamed with and he’s been the heart and soul of IMPACT for so many years and he’s changed his style and evolved,” Cardona noted, “I’d love to get in there with him. I’ve seen him have some hardcore matches, I’d love to get in there and do that.
“I just wanna wrestle everybody because I think, in this business, if you’re not learning and not evolving,” he added, “you’re just dying and you’re just getting closer and closer to retirement. I’m only 36 and I said when I left WWE, it wasn’t the next chapter, it was a brand new book and we’re only on the first couple pages and it’s gonna be a long-ass book.”
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